Category: News Releases

Peacebuilding school directors excited about 2016 offerings after successful 2015 session

Post author By CMU
Post date August 17, 2015

When Darnell Barkman found out he would be home in Canada during the Canadian School of Peacebuilding (CSOP), he had to enrol.

Barkman was one of 84 students from around the world who gathered at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) June 15-26 for the school, which offers two weeks of five-day courses for peacebuilders from all faiths, countries, and identity groups.

Darnell Barkman was one of 84 students from around the world who took part in two weeks of CSOP programming for peacebuilders from all faiths, countries, and identity groups.

Originally from Abbotsford, BC, Barkman was in Canada on furlough after spending the past three years living in Manila, Philippines, working as a pastor and peacebuilder. It’s work he feels passionate about, but because the Anabaptist-peace position is a relatively new concept in the Philippines, it’s difficult at times.

“Peacebuilding can be very lonely work,” Barkman says, adding that in addition to learning from world-class instructors, the CSOP was massively energizing because it allowed him to connect with other peacebuilders. “It’s amazing. It’s what we need.”

Creating that sort of environment at the CSOP is key, says Valerie Smith, the school’s co-director.

“There are all kinds of ways to measure success, but to me the most important are how valuable people find their classes, and how engaged they are with their instructors and each other,” Smith says.

“The 2015 courses went very well. The instructors were a good fit, and we once again had a radically diverse student body, which adds to the richness in the classroom and in the CSOP community more generally.”

In addition to Canada and the U.S., the school included students from Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa, Vietnam, Iran, and elsewhere who travelled to Winnipeg to learn, network, and engage in peacebuilding.

Topics covered included women and peacebuilding; youth voices and peace activism; human rights and peace; conflict transformation; indigenous approaches to peace, justice, and friendship; biblical teachings of peace and justice; and peace psychology.

Instructors included Leroy Little Bear, one of the continent’s leaders in the advancement of North American Indian philosophy, and Christopher Marshall, a trained and accredited restorative justice facilitator who teaches at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

The 2015 CSOP also included a launch event for Voices of Harmony & Dissent: How Peacebuilders are Changing Their Worlds, a book exploring the stories, theory, and tools of 16 peace leaders, trainers, and activists from around the world.

Each contributor has taught at the CSOP. Smith edited the book with Richard McCutcheon and Jarem Sawatsky.

“All of the essays are written by deeply committed, experienced peacebuilders who are living what they teach,” Smith says, adding that the book was a few years in the making. “It’s really exciting to have it finished and available to the public.”

With the 2015 session over, Smith has turned her attention to the 2016 school. Registration is now open at www.csop.cmu.ca.

As they do every year, Smith and her colleagues have planned courses that feature exceptional instructors who are also strong peacebuilding practitioners.

CSOP always aims to provide a mix of courses that have to do with biblical and theological studies, basic peacebuilding skills, and indigenous issues.

“To be a peace school in this context with integrity, we have to do that,” Smith says.

This past April, CMU announced a new Masters of Arts in Peacebuilding and Collaborative Development, which bridges the fields of peacebuilding-conflict resolution studies and development-transformational justice studies.

Four of the courses the CSOP will offer in 2016 can be taken toward earning that MA.

“We hope that degree will enrich our programming, and that our programming will enrich that degree,” Smith says.

She adds that she is looking forward to next June.

“We’re really excited about the lineup. We’ve got fantastic people coming.”

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as graduate degrees in theology, ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over about 900 full-time equivalent students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB R3P 2N2

Tags Canadian School of Peacebuilding, CSOP, peacebuilding, Wendy Kroeker

General News News Releases

MSC Honours its First Distinguished Alumnus Award Recipient

Post author By CMU
Post date July 28, 2015

Menno Simons College is pleased to award the first Distinguished Alumnus Award to Noelle DePape who graduated with a double major in Conflict Resolution Studies and International Development Studies in 2003. The award honours graduates who exemplify the goals and values of Menno Simons College (MSC) in their life and work.

A commitment to bridge building, developing partnerships, and coalition work has been foundational for DePape, whose career has focused on working with immigrants and refugees.

Noelle DePape upon receiving the first Distinguished Alumnus Award to be presented by Menno Simons College

DePape is the Director of Training and Development at the Immigrant and Refugee Committee of Manitoba (IRCOM). The organization “strives to empower newcomer families to integrate into the wider community through affordable transitional housing, programs, and services.”

IRCOM is one organization in a wider network working towards creating safe and inclusive neighbourhoods in Winnipeg’s inner city, says DePape. She manages special projects, which encompasses developing projects to support newcomer families, creating partnerships with other organizations, and securing funding.

“My passion is working in the ‘intersections’,” she says. “In order to address complex social problems with multiple barriers, I believe we need to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders and look outside the box to find innovative and collective solutions.”

IRCOM’s second major housing project is underway as a result of a strong partnership with Manitoba Housing and Community Development. IRCOM Isabel will provide safe and affordable housing for 50-60 immigrant and refugee families and will also offer services and supports as these families adjust to life in Winnipeg.

The Newcomer Education Coalition (NEC) is another partnership that excites DePape, who currently co-chairs NEC with Reuben Garang. Many refugee children and youth have experienced interrupted schooling due to years of displacement and can face challenges when beginning school in Canada. In addition to language barriers, youth are placed in classes that may not correspond to prior learning though they are age-appropriate, and often do not have access to supports they need to succeed. Many newcomer youth feel marginalized in the school system and may not complete their education.

The NEC is comprised of 25 different stakeholders including representatives from schools, community organizations, ethnocultural groups, and individual newcomers who came to Canada as refugees, all of whom want to explore different education models for newcomers.

“We’re looking at creative models and adaptations that can better support these kids so they’ll have a higher chance of success,” says DePape. “We’ve seen that when they’re getting some extra help early on and have culturally proficient mentors, volunteers, or teacher’s assistants working with them, they’re doing a lot better.”

DePape is also passionate about UMOJA, a newcomer-police advisory group that seeks to build trust between police and newcomers in the community. UMOJA is a Swahili word that translates to “unity.” Newcomers who have come from countries experiencing conflict may feel unsafe around those in uniform, explains DePape. UMOJA works to provides opportunities for law enforcement members to become more culturally proficient by learning about newcomers realities and backgrounds. The advisory group hopes to help newcomers grow to feel they can trust the police and draw on police members as community peacekeepers.

Additionally, DePape works with other community change makers and like-minded groups, to provide opportunities for newcomer, indigenous and settler communities to connect through programs like the Youth Peacebuiding Project, the annual Across Cultures event and Open Roads Transformative writing program with Rossbrook House, and through partnerships with the Ka Ni Kanichihk and the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba.

“If we want to truly create an inclusive society, we must acknowledge the unique challenges and gifts of the different communities in our city, especially our indigenous peoples, and work together for social change.”

DePape was awarded the Rotary World Peace Fellowship to pursue a Master of International Relations–Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Queensland, Australia. She describes it as an incredible program that connected her with a global network of peacebuilders.

She highlights the importance of having communities of support that development and conflict resolution practitioners can vision and work within as they work on pursuing social justice. DePape finds motivation and strength from her co-workers and the newcomers with whom she works.

For those interested in working for positive change, DePape’s encouragement is: “Do what you feel comfortable with, then take one more step, and now you’re in the right place for beginning to change the flow of the status quo toward inclusion and justice.”

“I always encourage people to stretch a little more—stretch your mind, stretch your circles and most importantly speak against oppression, even when your voice shakes.”

Tags Distinguished Alumnus Award, Menno Simons College, MSC, Noelle DePape

Events General News News Releases

Conference at CMU leads to formation of peace and conflict studies association

Post author By CMU
Post date July 27, 2015

Emerging issues in peace and conflict studies, and the formation of a peace and conflict studies association in Canada, were the key topics covered at the first annual Canadian Peace and Conflict Studies Conference.

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) hosted the inaugural conference June 18-20.

More than 70 academics, students, and conflict resolution practitioners from across Canada gathered for a series of keynote addresses, panel discussions, and workshop sessions.

Conflict resolution academics and practitioners don’t often meet together, says Wendy Kroeker, one of the event’s organizers.

“Our vision was to bring those two groups together and talk about how we want to contribute to the Canadian and international context in what our fields can offer or assist with,” says Kroeker, who teaches Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies at CMU.

“Often we do things individually, so we were wanting a stronger voice to emerge for the national context. This conference was to initiate that space for folks around the country interested in these issues, to decide what kind of group, what kind of organization, we’d like to form going forward.”

Kroeker says that she and her fellow organizers wanted to include a variety of voices in the dialogues at the conference.

“We had a broad spectrum of people and we wanted to open up an invitational space,” Kroeker says. “We want to stretch the boundaries of the field to be accessible, provocative, and inclusive.”

The impetus for the conference was sparked in May 2014 during a meeting of academics from the field of peace and conflict studies at Saint Paul University in Ottawa.

The assembled group began inquiring if creating a Canadian peace and conflict studies association would be of interest.

A steering committee was formed and the first conference was organized.

On Friday, June 18, those assembled at CMU made the decision to put together an association in Canada for peace and conflict studies.

An interim board has been put together, with Dr. Timothy Donais, Associate Professor for Global Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, serving as interim coordinator. The board’s first meeting is scheduled for September.

In addition to the historic agreement, the conference included a keynote address by Dr. Christopher Marshall, Professor of Restorative Justice at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. During his address, Marshall explored current trends in restorative justice theory and practice.

Dr. Jessica Senehi, Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Manitoba, and Dr. Jean-François Rioux, Associate Professor in Conflict Studies at Saint Paul University, also delivered keynote addresses.

Meanwhile, Dr. Dean Peachey, Executive Director of the University of Winnipeg’s Global College, and Ruth Taronno, an International Development Studies instructor and Director of Practicum and Alumni Relations at Menno Simons College, kicked off the conference with a roundtable discussion exploring field/practicum placements in peace and conflict studies.

Anglophone and francophone academics from throughout western Canada and southern Ontario presented papers during the three-day conference, which also included a visit to the brand new Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Kroeker says she is pleased with how the conference went.

She and her fellow organizers wanted to allow for the possibility of relationship-building, and planned an academic conference that left plenty of time and space for registrants to mingle and speak with one another during breaks and mealtimes.

“Our focus was to get some cross-fertilization going, and people said we did accomplish that,” Kroeker says.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags Canadian Peacebuilding and Conflict Studies Conference, conflict resolution, conflict studies, Global College, Menno Simons College, MSC, peacebuilding, Wendy Kroeker

General News News Releases

CMU Announces its 2015 Leadership Scholarship Winners

Post author By CMU
Post date June 22, 2015

CMU is pleased to announce the recipients of its Leadership Scholarships: Naomi Klassen, a graduate of Calvin Christian Collegiate; Allegra Friesen-Epp, a Westgate Mennonite Collegiate graduate; Makoy Penner, a graduate of Dakota Collegiate; all three from Winnipeg; and Jenny Lopez, a Colegio Palermo graduate from Bogota, Colombia.

CMU's 2015 Leadership Scholarship winners: (counter-clockwise from top left) — CMU’s 2015 Leadership Scholarship winners: Naomi Klassen, Allegra Friesen-Epp, Makoy Penner, and Jenny Lopez (counter-clockwise from top left)

Four Leadership Scholarships are offered to students who demonstrate significant leadership ability, academic excellence, personal character, service, and vision. Worth up to $14,000 distributed over four years, the Leadership Scholarship is awarded to recent high school graduates.

“Each year CMU receives outstanding submissions for the Leadership Scholarship making it difficult to choose only four recipients,” says Lois Nickel, Director of Enrolment Services. “These students bring their gifts of leadership to our campus each fall and we are privileged to watch them grow into mature young adults who give back to their communities, churches, and our school.”

Students applying for the Leadership Scholarships are required to provide a resume of their leadership involvement in a variety of areas, along with two letters of recommendation, and an essay reflecting on a leader who inspires them.

Chosen leaders included Jesus, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and leaders from the recipients’ personal lives.

All four recipients have applied their leadership skills in a variety of settings including in their schools, churches, and as volunteers. They have mentored others, been active in school committees, and served in their churches. Leading by example, nurturing teamwork, and advocating for causes they are passionate about are a few of the many leadership qualities demonstrated by the recipients.

Tags Calvin Christian School, CMU Leadership Scholarship, Westgate Mennonite Collegiate

General News News Releases

Artwork honouring CMU professor’s contribution to Hutterite community unveiled

Post author By CMU
Post date June 11, 2015

Hutterites thank John J. Friesen for teaching numerous courses over 14 years

Canadian Mennonite University President Cheryl Pauls and representatives from southern Manitoba’s Hutterite community unveiled a new artwork honouring a CMU professor last week.

Unveiled on Wednesday, June 3 in CMU’s new library, the artwork was commissioned by the Hutterian Brethren Education Committee in honour of John J. Friesen, Professor Emeritus of History and Theology, for his contribution to the Hutterite community.

Between 2000 and 2014, Friesen taught a number of Old Testament, Anabaptist, and Hutterite history courses to several hundred Hutterite teachers, pastors, and young people from across southern Manitoba, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

A close-up of the painting presented to CMU from — A close-up of the painting by Victor Kleinsasser presented to CMU from the Hutterian Brethern Education Committee.

The painting, created by Victor Kleinsasser of the Crystal Spring Community near Ste. Agathe, MB, depicts a group of Hutterites speaking with Friesen after one of their classes together.

Jesse Hofer, a CMU alumnus and member of the Hutterian Brethren Education Committee, said the painting represents the important relationship that has developed between Mennonites and Hutterites since Friesen taught his first course to Hutterites.

“The artistic contribution is a sign of our commitment to build and grow this relationship into the future,” Hofer said.

In addition to the artwork, the Hutterites made a $10,000 donation in Friesen’s name to help fund Marpeck Commons, the new library, learning commons, and bridge at CMU. Nearly 20 colonies contributed to the donation.

The Hutterian Brethren Education Committee surprised Friesen with the gift November 1, 2014 after he taught his final course with the Hutterites.

Speaking at the unveiling, Friesen thanked the Hutterian community for its generosity and hospitality, as well as the opportunity to teach them for 14 years.

“I learned so much from your communities, and in the process, made many friends,” Friesen said.

He added that ultimately, the event was not about him, but about the Hutterites.

“With the unveiling of this painting, you’re signalling I think publicly that you are continuing to embrace, incarnate, and communicate your rich spiritual heritage of communal living,” Friesen said.

Members of the Hutterian Brethern Education Committee with John J. Friesen (third from left) and CMU President Cheryl Pauls at the June 3 art unveiling.

“In a society that is highly individualist, economically and socially, you provide a successful alternative communal model. In a society that is consumer-oriented, you in many ways conserve resources through sharing and communal ownership. In a society that relegates faith into ever-smaller areas of private life, you’re committed to having faith permeate and shape all areas of your life. To me, this event signals that you do not want your heritage to become a revered relic of the past, but a rich resource for the future.”

CMU President Cheryl Pauls expressed her gratitude to the Hutterian community for its support and noted that at least four Hutterites have studied at CMU in recent years.

“Thanks also for your lives of faithfulness—to God, to one another, to the land, and to ways of discerning God’s word together through time,” Pauls said. “Thanks also for the ways you remember to live generously through time, to share again with one another and for sharing with us.”

Pauls added that Marpeck Commons—the building within which the new CMU library is located—takes its name from Pilgram Marpeck, a 16th century Anabaptist leader who brought together his faith and everyday life through his work as a civil engineer.

“The name of this building signifies through time that the vision here at Canadian Mennonite University extends far beyond us and reaches for something that learns from the community and isn’t about particular individuals in our own time,” Pauls said. “Thanks for the ways the Hutterian community remembers that through time and helps to sharpen the vision of CMU… We look forward to ongoing relationships and conversations with you.”

The Hutterian Brethren originated as the Austrian branch of the Anabaptist movement of the 16th century. Absolute pacifism and community of goods are key practices for the Hutterites, who live in rural communities made up of 50 to 150 people.

CMU’s relationship with the Hutterite community is ongoing. Harry Huebner, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Theology, will teach an introduction to philosophy course to members of the community in southern Manitoba beginning this summer.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags CMU President Cheryl Pauls, Hutterian Brethren Education Committee, Hutterites, John J. Friesen

General News News Releases

Diverse new book explores peacebuilding around the world

Post author By CMU
Post date June 10, 2015

CMU to host launch of ‘Voices of Harmony & Dissent’ on Tuesday, June 16

A new book arising from Canadian Mennonite University’s (CMU) Canadian School of Peacebuilding (CSOP) explores the stories, theory, and tools of 16 peace leaders, trainers, and activists from around the world.

Voices of Harmony & Dissent: How Peacebuilders are Changing Their Worlds explores the stories, theory, and tools of 16 peace leaders, trainers, and activists from around the world.

Voices of Harmony & Dissent: How Peacebuilders are Changing Their Worlds was edited by Richard McCutcheon, Jarem Sawatsky, and Valerie Smith. The editors will celebrate the release of the book with a launch event happening Tuesday, June 16 at 7:00 PM in the Great Hall at CMU (500 Shaftesbury Blvd.). The event is free, and all are welcome to attend.

Offering an intriguing mix of styles and perspectives, the peacebuilders included in the book describe how they have used their creativity, compassion, and frustrations to learn how to peacefully engage and transform the world around them.

Each contributor has taught at the CSOP, which offers a selection of five-day courses each June.

Smith, co-director of the CSOP, says the book arose out of a desire to expose people to the amazing instructors who teach at the school.

“We have so many people who are interested in the CSOP, and so many who apply but don’t get a chance to come here for all sorts of reasons, like finances and visas,” Smith says. “We wanted to find a way to serve those people who can’t be here in person.”

Published by CMU Press, Voices of Harmony & Dissent includes contributions from Ovide Mercredi, former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations; Mubarak Awad, a Palestinian-American psychologist; Ouyporn Khuankaew, a Buddhist feminist activist from Thailand; Martin Entz, a professor in the Department of Plant Science at the University of Manitoba; Karen Ridd, Instructor in Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies at CMU; and more.

Through inspiring stories, the book takes readers on a journey of interrelated themes including women and peacebuilding, nonviolent action for social change, restorative justice, indigenous approaches to change, spirituality and creative arts, circle process, food security, mediation, intercultural peacebuilding, and truth and reconciliation.

While the style and topics of the essays are radically diverse, Smith says there are common themes that tie the collection together.

“All of the essays are written by deeply committed, experienced peacebuilders who are living what they teach,” she says.

Valerie Smith, co-director of the Canadian School of Peacebuilding, edited Voices of Harmony & Dissent with former CMU faculty Richard McCutcheon and Jarem Sawatsky.

Smith adds that she is looking forward to the book launch.

“In reading through these essays over and over again, I feel like I’ve learned a little bit about each contributor and what they have offered in their classes at the Canadian School of Peacebuilding,” she says. “That feels like a real gift. I’m excited to share that with the community and hear people’s feedback as they begin to read the book.”

Established in 2009, the CSOP is a learning community of diverse peacebuilders from all faiths, countries, and identity groups who come together to learn, network, and engage in peacebuilding.

Now in its seventh year, the 2015 CSOP courses will take place June 15-19 and June 22-26.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags Canadian School of Peacebuilding, CSOP, Jarem Sawatsky, peacebuilding, Val Smith

General News News Releases

CMU/MSC-affiliated research project awarded $2.6M

Post author By CMU
Post date June 9, 2015

Canadian universities and project partners awarded $2.6M in funding from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Government of Canada’s Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD).

Principal investigators are Dr. Pashupati Chaudhary from Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD), Dr. Ram Rana from Anamolbiu Private Limited, and Manish N. Raizada from the University of Guelph.

Research partners include Dr. Kirit Patel, Assistant Professor of International Development Studies at Menno Simons College (MSC), a college of Canadian Mennonite University (CMU); Plant Products Company Inc.; XiteBio Technologies Inc.; iDE Canada and iDE Nepal; and the Nepal Agricultural Research Council.

The project is titled “Innovations for Terrace Farmers in Nepal and Testing of Private Sector Scaling Up Using Sustainable Agriculture Kits (SAKs) and Stall-Based Franchises (Nepal Terrace Farmers and SAKs).”

SAKs are toolkits that contain three components: seeds, low-cost agricultural technology, and instructional picture books. The kit contents vary by region and are chosen through local consultation to meet each region’s specific agroecological, socioeconomic, and nutritional needs.

Testing threshing machine The SAK project builds upon experience gained from a previous project, funded by the IDRC and DFATD and of which Patel was a principal investigator, on promoting small millets cultivation, production and consumption for enhancing food security in South Asia.

The SAK project began in August 2014 and will run for two and a half years with the focus on non-monetary or low cost “technological developments for small Nepalese farmers who are growing subsistence crops on hillsides,” says Patel.

CMU will provide support for participatory analysis of technological constraints faced by small and marginal farmers and examining the impacts new technologies introduced by the project have on women farmers.

“As a social scientist, I try to understand the agrarian context,” he says. “We see many young farmers are leaving rural areas and women are left in the household to do the farming.”

Added workload for female farmers is just one of the challenges facing Nepalese terrace farmers. Other challenges are limited land for cultivation, limited irrigation facilities, loss in soil fertility and deficiency in nutrients, water runoff from sloping land, and soil erosion.

P1030651 The project will address these challenges by: improving soil fertility, promoting climate change resilient crops, empowering and strengthening the resiliency of local innovators/farmers, using technology to assess farmers’ needs and collect feedback, and seeking ways to scale up the aforementioned technologies for inclusion in SAKs.

The project will operate using a participatory model, inviting input and knowledge from local farmers, local development organizations, entrepreneurs, and the private sector.

“The farmers have a role in the project—identifying problems and possible solutions,” says Patel. He is also seeking the participation of MSC students who would like to complete a research-oriented practicum or honours thesis in Nepal.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags Kirit Patel, Menno Simons College, Research

General News News Releases

Former CMBC president Henry Poettcker, 90, dies

Post author By CMU
Post date June 4, 2015

Colleagues remember gifted scholar, administrator who exemplified servant-leadership

Immigrant farm boy, hard and confident worker, team builder, family man, devout Christian—Henry Poettcker was all those things and more.

Poettcker, who served as president of Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC), one of Canadian Mennonite University’s (CMU) predecessor institutions, died on Sunday, May 24, following a stroke. He was 90 years old.

Henry Poettcker in his office at Canadian Mennonite Bible College in 1964.

A scholar with a PhD from Princeton, Poettcker joined the faculty of CMBC in 1954 and became its president five years later at the age of 34. He held that office for 19 years.

Waldemar Janzen, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament and German, worked as CMBC’s dean during Poettcker’s presidency. He remembers Poettcker as a calm, steadfast person who steered a steady course for CMBC during the turbulent youth movements of the 1960s and 70s.

“He was a humble, unpretentious leader,” Janzen says.

Harry Huebner, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Theology, says Poettcker gave the faculty the freedom to help shape CMBC.

“Perhaps his greatest gift was to interpret the constituency to the faculty and the faculty to the constituency,” Huebner says. “A most sensitive skill.”

Poettcker was born in Rudnerweide, Russia on March 27, 1925. His family moved to St. Elizabeth, Manitoba when he was just a few months old, and then to a farm 25 km. west of Pincher Creek, AB when he was two.

While attending Menno Bible Institute in Didsbury, AB throughout the winter of 1942-43, Poettcker met Aganetha (Agnes) Baergen. After marrying in 1946 in Tofield, AB, they spent eight years in Alberta, Kansas, Illinois, and New Jersey while Poettcker furthered his education.

Henry Poettcker as a young man.

After CMBC, Poettcker moved to Elkhart, Indiana, where he served as President and Professor of New Testament beginning in 1978 at Mennonite Biblical Seminary, one of the two seminaries that constituted Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, now Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary.

He was named President Emeritus when he retired in 1990.

Jacob Elias, Professor Emeritus of New Testament who served as dean at AMBS most of the years that Poettcker was president, describes Poettcker as gracious, dedicated, pastoral, organized, warm, and humble.

“His style of leadership was to empower others in their ministries,” Elias says. “He had a keen awareness of the challenges and opportunities facing congregations in Canada and the United States, as well as internationally. He had a deep love for Christ and the church, and a heart for pastors and other church leaders.”

As the first Canadian president of MBS, Poettcker fostered a closer link between the seminaries and CMBC/CMU, says Walter Sawatsky.

Sawatsky, who now is Professor Emeritus of Church History and Mission, remembers Poettcker’s approach to leadership: “Henry’s leadership style modeled a collegial approach that conveyed his style from CMBC and his belief that faculty needed a sense of freedom and were assumed to be part of the seminary leadership.”

In addition to his contributions to CMBC and MBS, Poettcker served as president of the General Conference Mennonite Church (now Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA) from 1962 to 1968, wrote Sunday school curricula for adults in German and English, and frequently contributed to Mennonite periodicals.

Upon his retirement in 1990, Poettcker returned to Winnipeg. In 2005, CMU honoured his years of service by naming one of its buildings Poettcker Hall. Four years later, CMU Press published Poettcker’s book, A President’s Journey: The Memoirs of Henry Poettcker.

In his later years, Poettcker gave loving care to Agnes, who suffered a severe and debilitating stroke. She passed away in February 2014.

Poettcker also participated in the professor emeriti group that meets every Thursday morning at CMU for fellowship, professional discussion, and mutual support.

This past March, 10 of Poettcker’s CMBC colleagues gathered with him to celebrate his 90th birthday.

It was a festive hour spent reminiscing over coffee and cake, and honouring the significant role Poettcker played in their lives and careers, and in the history of CMU.

“Henry has been a much greater and more impressive leader than he makes himself out to be,” Waldemar Janzen wrote in the foreword to A President’s Journey.

“He was never an advancement seeker or self-promoter. He did not display his own gifts, but others recognized them and challenged him to prepare for and assume leadership. When that happened, Henry acted with surprise that he should be chosen, and then applied all his energies to the task in order to serve others and God. When I hear the term ‘servant-leader,’ my first thought is of Henry Poettcker.”

A line Poettcker wrote in the resignation letter he sent to CMBC board members in 1977 perhaps best exemplifies his humility and faithfulness in the face of his many contributions to the Mennonite Church:

“If I have been one link in helping along, I give thanks to God.”

Poettcker is survived by daughter Chrystyanna, sons Ron (Carol-Ann) and Martin (Erna), seven grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and extended family.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags Canadian Mennonite Bible College, CMBC, Henry Poettcker

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Graduates receive award from CMU president

Post author By CMU
Post date May 25, 2015

Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe and Mike Wiebe take home President’s Medals for scholarship, leadership, and service

Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe and Mike Wiebe are the 2015 recipients of Canadian Mennonite University’s (CMU) President’s Medals.

CMU President Cheryl Pauls awarded the medals during CMU’s 2015 Graduation Exercises on April 26. Klassen-Wiebe and Wiebe (no relation) received the awards in recognition of their qualities of scholarship, leadership, and service.

“CMU has been a very important place for me for the years I’ve been here, so getting this award means a great deal to me,” Klassen-Wiebe says.

Klassen-Wiebe, 22, and Wiebe, 21, were chosen from a group of 89 graduates.

Klassen-Wiebe, who lives in Winnipeg’s River Heights neighbourhood, graduated with a Bachelor of Music, Concentration: Performance – Collaborative Piano.

Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe (left) and Michael Wiebe (right), recipients of 2015’s President’s Medals, pose with CMU President Cheryl Pauls

During her time at CMU, she immersed herself in university life by living on campus, working as a residence assistant, singing in choirs, performing with various music ensembles, and attending chapel services.

She is also involved at Charleswood Mennonite Church and has spent numerous summers working as a camp counsellor at Mennonite Church Manitoba’s Camps With Meaning.

Mike Wiebe, who is originally from Gretna, MB, graduated with a four-year Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Communications and Media. During his time at CMU, Wiebe lived on campus for two years and worked as a residence assistant for one of those years.

He played guitar in worship band, participated in chapel services, sang in a number of choirs, and worked on campus as a sound engineer. Like Klassen-Wiebe, he has spent many summers working at Camps With Meaning.

For Wiebe, highlights of studying at CMU included growing deeper in his faith by studying Mennonite history.

“Aside from my communications studies, courses on Mennonite studies and defining Anabaptism have impacted me and made me excited about work in the church,” he says.

Klassen-Wiebe says she has enjoyed studying at CMU.

“I have loved seeing the interweaving of music and faith through my education here,” she says.

Janet Brenneman, Dean of CMU’s School of Music and one of Klassen-Wiebe’s professors, says Klassen-Wiebe demonstrated what it means to be a music student at CMU.

“She got involved in as many music activities as she could, she took her studies very seriously, she got involved in the life of CMU outside of music, and I think people on campus knew her for her music abilities and beyond,” Brenneman says. “She is hardworking, a fine musician, a much-loved student, and a really great person.”

David Balzer, Assistant Professor of Media and Communications and one of Mike Wiebe’s professors, describes Wiebe as a hardworking, passionate student who demonstrated creativity in his assignments.

At the same time, Balzer notes Wiebe’s contributions to the CMU community outside of the classroom.

“Mike just simply invests in people,” Balzer says. “If he’s passionate about the academic side, I think he’s equally passionate about noticing people and giving what he has to them.”

Both President’s Medal recipients are in the midst of discerning what comes next in life.

Right now, they are working together for the next three months as co-directors of the summer program at Camp Assiniboia, located 20 minutes southwest of Winnipeg.

“I hope that my future will be able to integrate my love of people, of music, and of faith in some way,” Klassen-Wiebe says.

Mike Wiebe says that receiving the President’s Medal has caused him to reflect on his CMU experience and appreciate it even more, because he has realized how invested he was in the university over the past four years.

“This place has really impacted my life… and I think I’ve somehow, in some way, made CMU a part of my daily living,” he says.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags CMU President Cheryl Pauls, Mike Wiebe, President's Medals, Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe

Events News Releases

CMU to host reading by acclaimed author, university professor

Post author By CMU
Post date May 19, 2015

David Waltner-Toews to read from The Origin of Feces

Canadian Mennonite University is pleased to host a reading by acclaimed author Dr. David Waltner-Toews.

Waltner-Toews will read from his most recent book, The Origin of Feces: What Excrement Tells Us About Evolution, Ecology, and a Sustainable Society at 4:00 PM on Saturday, May 30 in Marpeck Commons (2299 Grant Ave.). All are welcome to attend. Admission is free. <event poster>

Dr. David Walter-Toews will read from his book The Origin of Feces: What Excrement Tells Us About Evolution, Ecology, and a Sustainable Society at 4:00 PM on May 30 at CMU’s Marpeck Commons

An entertaining and enlightening exploration of why waste matters, The Origin of Feces is a cultural history that explores an often ignored subject matter and makes a compelling argument for a deeper understanding of human and animal waste.

Approaching the subject from a variety of perspectives—evolutionary, ecological, and cultural—the book shows how integral excrement is to biodiversity, agriculture, public health, food production and distribution, and global ecosystems.

Upon its release in 2013, The Origin of Feces won the silver medal at the Independent Publishers Book Awards and was shortlisted in the Canadian Science Writers Association’s Best Adult Science Book category.

John Brubacher, Assistant Professor of Biology at CMU, is looking forward to Waltner-Toews’ visit.

“David is always entertaining and thought-provoking in equal measure,” Brubacher says, adding that Waltner-Toews’ work fits in with a variety of different program areas at CMU. “He combines the humanities, sciences, and social sciences in a really delightful way.”

Based in Kitchener, ON, Waltner-Toews is a veterinarian, epidemiologist, scientist, and popular author.

He is the author or coauthor of 17 books of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and recipes, including The Chickens Fight Back: Pandemic Panics and Deadly Diseases That Jump from Animals to People (Greystone Books, 2007) and Food, Sex and Salmonella: Why Our Food Is Making Us Sick (Greystone Books, 2008).

A University Professor Emeritus at University of Guelph, Waltner-Toews was founding president of Veterinarians Without Borders and of the Network for Ecosystem Sustainability and Health, and a founding member of Communities of Practice for Ecosystem Approaches to Health in Canada.

He is the recipient of the inaugural award for contributions to ecosystem approaches to health from The International Association for Ecology and Health.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags David Waltner-Toews, Origin of Feces, Science, scientist in residence